Beware the Man
by Carpe-Plectrum
Summary: Oneshots. Lots and lots of oneshots for the lots and lots of Undertale AUs. Mostly centering around the skelebros, sometimes Gaster, no pairings, no crossovers (for now) . Overtale, Mobstale, Underswap, Storyshift,and plenty of others. Requests are open!
1. UT Mob

1\. Mobstale

 **A/N- Hey guys. After this one the author note is gonna be at the bottom (so you can skip it, all this boring stuff) So… I don't own this. Any of it. This game, this AU. Today's AU is Mobstale (as you probably guessed, based on the title), which** **was created by** **in-sideunder** **and** **nyublackneko** **on Tumblr. They're amazing, and I love them.** **Toby Fox is the lord of Undertale, though, so… yeah. 'm not Toby Fox**

* * *

"ready?"

"AS ALWAYS, BROTHER." Papyrus summoned a bone, spinning it easily. Sans vanished, leaving him alone in the alley, guarding the warehouse door.

It was twenty seconds, at most. Papyrus heard a soft crunch, and the metal door swung open.

"NO GUARDS?"

"none yet. the next rotation should be through in five minutes."

"NYEH HEH HEH! IT'S GOOD TO KNOW I CAN TAKE MY TIME."

He ducked in around his brother, running towards the safe in the back. Sans followed, taking his time. His eye glowed softly, casting odd shadows on the stacks of crates.

The safe in the back was huge, nearly reaching the top of the warehouse. An overcomplicated series of chains and padlocks bolted it to the wall, with a blank pad on the front. Papyrus chuckled excitedly, prodding it with a beam of magic.

It blazed to life, flashing colors too quickly to see. If there was some deranged pattern to it all, Sans had no idea what it was supposed to mean. But that wasn't his job.

Papyrus watched the flashes for fifteen seconds, then snorted.

"WHY MAKE A LOCK THIS INTRACATE IF YOU'RE GOING TO BROADCAST THE ANSWER LIKE THAT?"

He flipped the lock over and began pressing numbers in as quickly as he could. 188292750387297359723692038.

For a few seconds, everything was silent.

Then the chains rattled and disappeared.

"ANOTHER VICTORY FOR THE GREAT PAPYRUS," he shouted softly.

"hurry, let's see what they've got for us this time."

Papyrus swung the door open and climbed in, feeling around. Dozens of little bags covered the floor, made of cheap material, but very heavy. He opened one up and poured out a handful of coins.

"payment. lots of payment. i'll bet these are headed for the temmies."

"OR MUFFET. YOU KNOW HOW HIGH HER WAGES CAN BE."

Sans stepped into the vault and whistled.

"this is at least 9000 g. isn't that her usual fare for taking someone out?" His voice rose several octaves, until it was a cruel, giggly squeak. "just 9000, sweetie. it doesn't matter who they are or how they try to hide, it'll be like they never even existed. teeheehee! wanna cupcake? where's my money?"

Papyrus kicked over a few bags, grinning. "YOU KNOW, IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, THEY CAN'T PAY HER TO KILL ANYONE."

"we'll be savin' lives if we take it off their hands. greater good an' all, y'know?" Sans began scooping bags into his inventory, motioning for Papyrus to do the same.

"it doesn't have to be all of them, just as many as we can carry."

A door slammed nearby, and muttered voices drifted through the room.

Papyrus jerked up, sending bags flying. "DID YOU HEAR THAT?"

Sans swore. "the guards must be changin' early. let's go."

"Who's there?" shouted someone outside.

Sans kicked the door open. Three guards were standing there, their firearms raised. Two dogs and one monster with ten legs and a dozen eyes.

"heya, guys. hate to run, but you know how it is."

"It's the skeleton brothers!"

The arachnid whistled, and Sans could hear crashing and shouting from another room. He shrugged.

"who're you working for?"

"Fire!" barked one of the guards, and Sans vanished.

"heads up!" he called from the other side of the room.

Bones crashed down from the ceiling, draining the guards' HP. Sans didn't move, his right eye glowing.

The front door crashed open, and five more guards with guns ran through, surrounding Sans. The blue light flickered from his eye.

"Freeze!" shouted one of them. Another spider-type, two birds, two creatures with tentacles. Interesting.

"it appears you have captured me. drat. i guess now you'll deliver me to your boss to be tortured for information. who is your boss, anyway?"

"NYEH HEH HEH!"

The guards froze, their souls flickering blue.

"GUNS? NO. LET'S DO THIS THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY."

"didya stop and take a nap, bro?"

A femur appeared in Papyrus' hand, just as the blue light flickered away.

The skeleton bounded towards them, dodging the bullets so easily it barely looked like he moved. He swung the bone towards one of the guards.

Sans winced in fake sympathy as it shrieked and dropped the gun, clutching its crushed hand next to its chest. Papyrus twirled the bone, grinning at the guards.

"WHO'S NEXT?"

The spider-like creature grabbed Sans by the neck and pressed its gun against his temple.

"Drop it or this one dies!"

Papyrus leaped towards the guard, and Sans vanished. Bullets ricocheted past him, hitting the lights in an explosion of sparks.

Papyrus smashed the side of its head with his bone. Black gunk was oozing from its temple, but its HP was a solid 3. He ducked. He rolled. Two more were down. A bullet grazed his arm, ripping through his sleeve without actually hitting the bone. Sans reappeared on the other side of the room, his eyes flashing. One of the remaining guards flew towards him, its mouth open, trying to scream but unable to move.

"what's all the money for?" The creature slammed against the wall, then slid to the floor.

"Ack!" It spat blood at him, its black eyes gleaming. "Once our boss finds out you did this to us-"

It froze again, and a bone flew out of the ceiling, slamming into its stomach. Blood and something more foul spurted through the hole in its armor. It screamed, writhing.

"who're you being paid to kill? what's miss muffet up to now?"

Another bone flew from the ceiling, then another.

"SANS! NO KILLING."

"i know, i know. i wasn't going to kill 'em." The creature's HP hovered around a shaky .8. "'d like to know what is going on here, though. muffet's base is on the other side of the underground. so why would they transfer something this big on the very edge of our turf?"

"BAIT?"

Sans glanced around, and his eyes darkened. "you're right. let's get out of here."

"NYEH!" Papyrus threw his brother over his shoulder and ran back the way they came, out the door, through the alley, behind half a dozen buildings into an abandoned warehouse about a block away.

Their home was a warehouse with a couch and radio in the middle and a cluster of kitchen appliances in the corner. Crates were stacked around the edge, some so dangerously balanced that strands of blue magic were the only things keeping them upright.

"home sweet-" Sans eye lit up.

Someone was inside.

Someone was sitting on their couch. Tall, with twisted, broken hands, a black coat, and a hat shadowing most of its face.

Sans instinctively shot a bone at the creature, and it chuckled.

"Good to see you too, little one."

It stood up, pushing the hat back. Another one of Sans' bones flew towards it, but it passed through without harming it.

"gaster," he growled. The creature grinned emptily.

"That is my name, Sans. And it's your name as well."

"WINGDINGS?" whispered Papyrus. "WE THOUGHT - I THOUGHT - WHY ARE YOU BACK?"

"Aren't you glad to see me, little brother?" His face was even more scarred then last time he had come through - long cracks running from his eye sockets - one over his forehead, one down towards his mouth. "Did you like the present I sent you?"

"that was you?"

"Of course. And no. I'm not paying that spider girl to kill someone, I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself." He chuckled, and another bone went through his chest, vanishing.

"SANS, STOP." Papyrus drifted forward and took his brother's hands. "WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING, WINGDINGS?"

Gaster sat back down on couch, propping up his feet on the radio.

"What I'm always doing. Research. I won't go in the details, since Sansy doesn't seem to app-"

"gee, i'm so uneducated and narrow-minded! why wouldn't i approve of you _experimenting on children_?"

"Details, details. My experiments will-"

"don't you dare say it-"

"GUYS, NOT RIGHT NOW." Papyrus glanced at Sans, and his brother stood up, the glow fading from his eyes.

"what are you doing here? you need to leave."

Gaster pulled one of Sans' cigarette cartons out of the couch cushions, carefully selecting a cigarette and lighting it with fire magic.

"Rumors have reached me. Horrible, nasty rumors. Normally such gossip would not interest me in the slightest, but imagine my surprise when I heard of the reputation my two younger brothers were building for themselves."

He took a long drag of the cigarette.

"From what I've heard, you've become the most infamous gangs in the west side of the Underground. Stealing from Asgore himself? Having never been caught? Maintaining a solid 0 EXecution Points, despite everything?" His eyes narrowed. "Adopting a human child?"

Sans snorted. "a human? that's ridiculous."

"I thought so as well. Surely my brothers, of all people, would never stoop so low. Yet..." His hand blazed with white light, and Sans lunged forward, dragged by some invisible force. His soul flew from his chest, and Gaster hummed, leaning forward.

"you son of a-" Sans ground out.

"Interesting. That's quite the Level Of ViolencE, little one. Yet the rumors seem to be accurate. It seems strange that only half of a story that outrageous would be true."

An odd shape loomed up in the half-darkness of the warehouse. A dragon skull, white fire pouring out of its mouth and eyes. Gaster only had time to look up before the energy erupted from the creature, blasting him in the face.

"LET GO OF HIM!" shouted Papyrus. "PLEASE, BROTHER. YOU DON'T NEED TO DO THIS..."

Gaster blinked, only 2 dropping off his HP.

"Using my own weapon against me, Papyrus? That's not really your style." The light flickered out of his hand, and Sans crumpled to the ground.

"listen, i have no idea what kind of lies asgore's people have been spreading, but there's no human here. papyrus kept a puppy for a while, a stray he found on the street, but it ran away."

Gaster chuckled. "Oh, Sans. Don't you remember the good old days? All the fun times we had?"

"you mean when we were living on the streets, right before you abandoned us?"

"Yes, back then. How I trained you, protected you. Back then, you used to be a decent liar."

Sans' eye flickered blue. "there's no human here. now get out of our house."

"YOU WANT IT TO EXPERIMENT ON, DON'T YOU?"

"Excuse me?"

"I SEE WHAT YOU WANT, WINGDINGS. YOU CAME BACK BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT WE HAD A HUMAN, AND YOU WANTED TO BULLY US INTO GIVING IT TO YOU. YOU MUST KNOW THAT I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WOULD NEVER STOOP THAT LOW, AND NEITHER WOULD SANS. AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW-" his eyes lit up blue- "THAT EVEN IF WE DID HAVE A HUMAN, I'D DIE BEFORE LETTING YOU GET CLOSE TO IT."

"You don't know what they've done. What they can do. Their power... their determination... a single human has the ability to wipe out our entire race. And if I can replicate that power..."

"then you'd have the ability to control an entire race yourself. nice try, wing, but we're not fallin' for it."

"You have pretty morals for someone who's robbed every safe in the Underground," snarled Gaster.

"WINGDINGS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS!" Papyrus smiled, trying to take one of his older brother's hands. "I KNOW THERE'S STILL GOOD IN YOU! STOP THE EXPERIMENTS... PLEASE?"

"I'll do what needs to be done," he said, and vanished.

Papyrus sighed. "I'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND HIM."

"i don't want to. every time i think about him i wanna throw up." Sans ground the cigarette butt under his heel, then kicked the sofa for good measure.

"I ALMOST FORGOT!" Papyrus ran towards the back of the warehouse and shifted a stack of boxes. A carefully placed square of carpet covered the handle of a trapdoor, which he yanked open.

"PUP? LITTLE PUP, ARE YOU DOWN HERE?"

"papyrus, that might not be the best-"

"Pap!"

He laughed, climbing down into the smaller, well-lit room.

"ARE YOU OK? WE WERE WORRIED!"

He climbed back out, a child on his shoulder. They were small, even compared to Sans, and wearing a well-scrubbed sailor suit.

A human child.

"i'm glad you decided to stay down there this time, kid. some pretty bad things might have happened if gaster had found you."

"Gaster?" The child clutched one of Papyrus's suspenders, and he pulled them closer.

Sans shook his head. "you don't need to know about him just yet." His hand tightened around the dog tag in his pocket - the one around Pup's neck when they had found them.

FRISK.

C-TEST

S2-WDG

They pushed up their sleeve, showing him half a dozen tiny, pinprick scars on their forearm. Sans' eyes grew dark.

"GASTER?" Papyrus' eyes glowed blue, filled with uncharacteristic fury. "I'LL-"

"you stay here with the kid," said Sans. His eyes were blank, devoid of any emotion. "i think i'm going to be coming back late tonight."


	2. Storyshift

2\. Storyshift

 **A/N – Hi, so I normally don't post these, but I wanted to warn you lovelies that this story does contain some violence and emotional abuse. Nothing much, but if you're sensitive to that kind of thing, I'd opt out on this one. Voltrathelively on Reddit is the author and creator of Storyshift.**

"nice meetin' you, i guess. i hate to be _that_ guy, but i need your soul."

"But... why?" The human was shaking, their hands pressed over their chest as if that would keep their soul in place. King Sans tilted his head to one side.

"to break the barrier."

"No, I know, but... isn't there another way? Please. I just want to go home."

A flash.

* * *

 _"WE CAN'T DO THAT! WE'RE NOT KILLING ANYBODY."_

 _"bro..." King Sans closed his eyes for a minute, listening as Papyrus stomped around the throne room. "we have to, it's the only-"_

 _"NO! THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY. I'M! NOT! KILLING! ANYBODY!"_

 _"and what will happen when we let them come through, huh? don't be such an idiot, paps! remember what happened to wingdings?"_

 _Papyrus paled - a remarkable feat, for a skeleton. But Sans wasn't finished._

 _"wing tried, papyrus. he was even more of a pacifist than you. and when the human came through and refused to fight-"_

 _"NO! NO, NO, NO... HE WOULDN'T WANT US TO DO THAT! HE- HE WOULD-"_

 _"it doesn't matter what he would want. he died. i'm king, now."_

 _"AND I'M YOUR ADVISOR. YOUR BROTHER." Papyrus stretched out a hand. "PLEASE... DR. ASGORE WILL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT. HE'S SUPER SMART, HE'LL MAKE A WAY FOR YOU TO-"_

 _"we can't sit around and wait for him to come up with a substitute or something. we need to get out of here." He pulled a piece of paper in front of him and began scribbling something down._

 _"Alert Captain Toriel. All humans are to be killed on sight, or captured and brought to-"_

 _"NO."_

 _Sans glanced up._

 _"I'M NOT TELLING HER THAT." Papyrus' arms were crossed, and he glared down at his brother. "I WON'T. I - I QUIT."_

 _Sans sat up, knocking his pen off the table. "what? no-"_

 _Tears were dripping down Papyrus' cheekbones, but he didn't move. "IF YOU'RE GOING TO INSIST ON KILLING, I... I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO DO WITH YOU." He turned away, walking towards the door. Sans stood up, but didn't move towards him._

 _"you - you - paps, please. we have to do this!"_

 _"I'M SORRY, SANS."_

 _The door slammed behind him._

* * *

Sans straightened his crown. "there's no other way. believe me, we've tried. you ready to battle, or what?"

"I'm ready." Frisk took a deep breath, staring at the king. He looked so unlike his brother – if they weren't the only two skeletons in the Underground, she would have never guessed they were related. But at the same time… they had the same expression – the same grim smile, the same deep, underlying sadness in their eyes.

"Your brother misses you."

" _WELCOME TO MY HUMBLE ABODE. BEHOLD, THE DWELLING OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"_

 _Frisk giggled, taking the hand the self-proclaimed Guardian of the Ruins as he led them into the house. It was small, almost cozy, and incredibly clean._

 _"ARE YOU HUNGRY? WORRY NOT! I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR SUPPER THAT YOU'RE SURE TO LOVE. SPAGHETTI! BACK WHEN I LIVED IN NEW HOME, MY BROTHER LOVED IT! HE'D EAT IT EVERY NIGHT! AT LEAST, THAT'S WHAT HE SAID. I THINK HE ACTUALLY ONLY ATE IT ONCE."_

 _"You've got a brother?"_

 _Papyrus hesitated, leading them down a hallway._

 _"WELL... YES. I HAVEN'T SEEN HIM IN A LONG TIME, NOW. HE LIVES OUTSIDE THE RUINS."_

 _Frisk sighed, leaning against him as he tousled their hair._

 _"I've got a brother too," they whispered. "I miss him a lot."_

 _"I MISS MINE AS WELL. EVERY SINGLE DAY."_

* * *

Sans shrugged, taking off his blue cape and tossing it to the side. "yeah, i miss 'im too. he's real stubborn. i guess all three of us were."

"He said you had another brother, but he was killed by a human."

Sans' eyes flickered and disappeared. "yeah. wing. he refused to fight. so i killed the human, and then i killed five others. in this world... heh."'

"It's kill or be killed?"

* * *

 _Sans stared numbly at the closed door, still holding the roll of parchment. The royal order. If he ran now, he could probably catch up with his brother before he got too far away. He could beg for forgiveness, rip up the paper in front of him, then go to Dr. Asgore's lab and see how his progress was coming. Papyrus probably hadn't even made it out of the castle courtyard yet._

 _"Seems you've lost your Royal Advisor."_

 _Sans pupils disappeared. He knew that voice. By the powers, he'd never forget it. He didn't turn around._

 _"w-wingdings?"_

 _"You don't think I'd leave my baby brother behind in this big bad world, do you?"_

 _"you - you died. we found your dust."_

 _"Right in one, Sansy. Now that we've established that, let's move on. What's got you so down?"_

 _Sans turned around, and stumbled backwards._

 _There was a spirit floating in front of him - dark robes, a cracked skull, an overly wide smile. He looked exactly the same - other than being semi-transparent._

 _"I guess you're fired from Lordship once you're a ghost. Lemme lend you a hand or two. As former king, I think I've aced every qualification to be your new advisor. Whatdaya say?"_

 _"b-but what about papyrus? shouldn't i-"_

 _"Nah. He's weak. Let him run - he could never do what it would take to get the job done. You and I, though..."_

 _"you were a pacifist."_

 _"_ WERE _being the key word. Sign the order, send it to Captain Toriel. You are so much stronger than him, Sans. Don't worry about what it takes – free your people. In this world, it's kill or be killed."_

* * *

The human's soul flickered in front of their chest, and they whimpered. Sans crossed his arms.

"c'mon, kid. surely you know how this works by now. i engaged you. you attack first. we can't-"

"P-please… let me spare-"

Sans' pupils disappeared. "no. none of that." A blaster appeared over his shoulder, and he shrugged.

"sorry, kiddo. this is the way it has to be."

In a single, blinding beam of energy, he destroyed the mercy button.

They turned and face him, and he ran a check.

 **FRISK**

 **ATK- 10**

 **DEF- 10**

 **Still believes in forgiveness.**

"heh." He looked back at his own.

 **KING SANS**

 **ATK – 1**

 **DEF – 1**

 **too far gone.**

"You're never too far gone," said Frisk. "Please, just…"

Talking wasn't going to help them now.

"maybe a few years ago. heck, maybe a few _weeks_ ago. but now…" Another blaster materialized behind him, and Frisk ran to get out of the way of the beams.

"nah ah ah, come back here." Frisk's soul flickered blue, and they flew backwards. They shrieked, crashing into a wall of bones behind them. Sans hadn't moved, grinning as they crumpled to the floor. Frisk coughed, then wiped the blood off of their chin.

"Your brother, he-"

"you need to stay focused on the battle kid." Another wave of bones. Their HP was down to 1. He smirked. Just like his.

They fumbled for a second, pulling something out of their backpack. A weapon? No, a…

Frisk crammed the cold spaghetti in their mouth, and the bruises faded from their face. Sans sniffed. Tomato, onion, an overabundance of oregano…

* * *

 _"It's kill or be killed."_

 _The words still rang out in his head, and Sans wandered farther into the palace. The ghost... his brother? was still following him, now silent. He couldn't talk to Captain Toriel. Not yet. Maybe Papyrus just needed some alone time - time to blow off some steam, time to figure out what he really thought. He had gotten mad before - he was always quick to anger, quick to ask forgiveness. No big deal... right?_

 _Somehow he had made it to the kitchen._

 _"Sans, you need to make up your mind."_

 _Blatantly ignoring the ghost, he opened up the fridge._

 _The smell of spices blasted him back, sent him reeling. He coughed, squinting._

 _Spaghetti._

 _Mounds and mounds of spaghetti, stacked in careful little boxes. A tired smile flickered across his face. Paps always loved his herbs._

 _"You're wasting time, boyo," muttered Wingdings behind him._

 _"it's waited for a good two hundred years, it can wait a little while longer."_

 _"What if a human comes through? You've got to be ready! I couldn't do it, so you must be the one! You must kill the humans, and take back the surface. Free my - free your - people!"_

 _Sans opened one of the boxes and ate it cold, still standing in front of the open fridge._

* * *

Sans wavered, then shot another row of beams towards them. Shakier, smaller. They were able to dodge them easily. He chuckled.

"do you really think the worst people can change?"

"I do."

"well then, watch me prove you wrong."

The human wasn't crying anymore – the terror in their eyes had been replaced by pure determination. Even as he blasted them with volley after volley of bones, they were faster, more agile. One smashed against them, probably breaking their shoulder, but they didn't stop. That expression on their face…

It was almost like they had done that before.

"Your brother still believes in you. He thinks you can do better."

Sans' eyes disappeared. "you keep talking, an' you're gonna have a bad time." He winked. "well, i'm gonna kill you anyway, so i guess you don't particularly care anymore."

"He said you're wrapped up in vengeance. That this isn't really you."

"he never knew me. not like wi- not the way i really am."

The bones wavered. The blue glow flickered off of Frisk's soul, and they fell to the floor.

"I've met so many wonderful people, made so many friends. You're not any different from- _ack_!"

Sans had them again, dragging them upwards by their soul. They were kicking, fighting, begging. He shrugged.

"i'm not like them. i'm just a good, old-fashioned monster."

He dropped them, raising dozens of spiky bones to meet them as they fell. Blood splashed up, but he didn't bother wiping it off his face.

He dropped them again. Again. Somehow, they were still clinging on to life – little more than a bloody pulp. Their HP quivered at a mere .1. Surprising they hadn't kicked it yet.

They weren't bothering to fight back – muttering something on each of their turns he wasn't listening to.

Why were they still trying? If they weren't going to fight back, they couldn't run? Why, I don't know, prolong the agony? They were holding their guts in with one broken arm as it was.

He sighed, dangling them a foot below the vaulted ceiling.

"any words for posterity?"

"P- p…"

"can't hear ya, kid. least you can die knowing you helped me an' the rest of us out a lot."

"P-papyrus." He could barely hear it.

"you already played that card. it ain't workin'."

"Papyrus… help."

Sans chuckled. "he can't hear you. he – he's gone."

"BROTHER, NO!"

* * *

 _"HUMAN! ARE YOU OK?"_

 _Papyrus wavered for a second, then broke his battle stance, rushing over to where the child was kneeling._

 _"I DIDN'T MEAN TO HIT YOU THAT HARD. PLEASE, LET ME HEAL YOU."_

 _Frisk pushed his gloved hand away, stumbling back to their feet. "I'm fine, but... I – I still don't want to fight you. Please, just let me go home."_

 _Papyrus took a step back, hurt._

 _"THIS – THIS IS YOUR… UGH! I CAN'T DO THIS. I'M SORRY, HUMAN." He stood back up, straightening his purple robe. "YOU TRULY ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE OUT THERE. FORGIVE ME FOR DOUBTING YOU." He scratched the back of his neck._

 _"IF YOU DO GET TO THE CASTLE AND… AND MEET MY BROTHER, TELL HIM…" He closed his eyes for a second. "TELL HIM THAT I LOVE HIM, AND THAT HE CAN DO BETTER! SURELY ONE AS STRONG AS HIM CAN REALIZE THAT! YOU CAN DO IT, HUMAN. I BELIEVE IN YOU!"_

 _"I will. I'll make you proud!"_

 _"NYEH HEH HEH! YOU ALREADY HAVE. YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE. IF YOU EVER NEED HELP, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL COME TO YOUR RESCUE!"_

* * *

Sans stumbled back, looking around wildly. His control on Frisk's soul flickered, and the human began falling. The bones had vanished beneath them, but by this point, it didn't matter. They would splatter into goo the second they hit the floor.

Another blue light appeared, grabbed their soul. The human went flying backwards, back towards the door. Sans turned.

The blue light faded, and the human collapsed into Papyrus' arms. The younger skeleton hugged them close, pushing their hair away from the battered, almost unrecognizable face.

"SANS… HOW… HOW COULD YOU?"

Sans was shaking, staring at his brother.

"you – you came back? but… but…"

"THEY DIDN'T MEAN YOU ANY HARM!" screamed Papyrus. Bones shot towards Sans, far enough overhead that they wouldn't hit him. "THEY JUST WANT TO GO HOME! THEY'RE JUST A KID!"

"it's… wing said i-" Sans fell to his knees, pressing his hands into his temples. "i… i had…"

"WE'RE FINE. GETTING TO THE SURFACE? IT'S NOT WORTH THIS!" Green light swirled over his gloves, and Frisk's wounds began to fade. "IT WAS NEVER WORTH THIS."

He smiled up at his older brother, tears streaming down his face. "PLEASE LISTEN. I KNOW YOU, SANS! YOU CAN DO BETTER!"

All the light vanished, plunging the judgement hall into darkness. Sans' eye lit up, and Papyrus pulled the child closer.

"S-SANS?"

"He doesn't need you anymore!" The voice was smooth and deep, with an odd tinge of urgency. "People grow, people change. And you never seem to realize that." Sans shuddered.

Papyrus' eyes shone blue.

"W-WING – NO! THIS- THIS IS A TRICK! SANS, HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS?"

"It's not a trick, baby brother." A figure was beginning to form, as if their eyes were beginning to adjust to the darkness. "It's me."

"NO! NO NO NO! IT – THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE!"

"I told you I'd always be there, didn't I? Don't forget." The figure drifted closer to Sans, who instinctively flinched away.

"We're talking about the greater good here. All of your people, everyone who you care about – or one half-dead, worthless human. How is that even a comparison, Sans?"

"it- it's not." Sans shot a shaky, blue bone at Papyrus. Wingdings chuckled.

"That's right. It's all science – get rid of the weak, and the strong will thrive. That's not so difficult to understand now, is it? This is all for the good of your people, Sans! What will they think when you let murderous filth like this live, while they all suffer!" He grinned, hovering a few inches above Sans' shoulder.

"FRISK NEVER DID ANYTHING!" protested Papyrus, trying to shield the human with his body. "THEY'RE NOT A MURDERER!"

"That's just what they want you to think. Look what happened to me! Look what I've been reduced to! Take him out. Be done with this."

Sans stood up, his knees shaking, tears and wisps of stray magic running down his face.

"but… he's my brother. he's _our_ brother." Another bone shot from his hand, and Papyrus grunted in pain. He curled almost completely over Frisk – not running, not trying to fight back.

"Him? Look what he's doing – trying to protect a human, trying to hold back the growth of your kingdom. That sounds like no brother of ours, right Sans?"

A blaster formed behind Sans, shaky and uncertain in the half-light. Wingdings kept grinning – his skull stiff and frozen, like a mask. Like a corpse.

"you're no brother of mine."

The blaster spun ninety degrees in midair and tilted down at Wingdings, shooting him square in the face before he could dodge.

Papyrus looked up, still cradling the child.

Sans was shaking, crying. He ran towards his younger brother.

"i'm so sorry i'm so sorry i'm-"

"SH! IT'S OK. I'M HERE." He shifted Frisk to one side, and hugged Sans as he collapsed in his arms. "I FORGIVE YOU, AND I'M SURE THE HUMAN WILL TOO."

"So. You've shown you true colors, I see. I'm disappointed, but not surprised. You two were always so _weak!_ "

"YOU WERE TOO, AT ONE POINT. WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, WING?" Papyrus sat up, carefully holding the two others – one unconscious, one sobbing.

"y-you're not really wing." Sans wiped his nose.

The ghost chuckled. It was beginning to change form – shifting in the darkness. Its eyes were the same – wide, dark, with the two pinprick pupils.

"Funny how you never questioned that before. Altering your appearance is so easy when you're non-corporeal!" The ghost was grinning at them, its eyes empty of everything but gleeful malice.

"You may have figured out our little game, but we're not through just yet. Anyways, I'll be seeing you soon, darlings!" It vanished. Sans shuddered.

"n-now wh-what?"

Papyrus stared at the spot the ghost had been. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT JUST HAPPENED, BUT I THINK WE'RE DEALING WITH SOMETHING VERY DANGEROUS. SOMETHING BIG IS GOING ON, BROTHER, AND WE'RE JUST NOW SCRATCHING THE SURFACE. WHATEVER HAPPENED, IT WASN'T GOOD." He looked down at the others.

"SO. ANYONE HUNGRY?"


	3. Overtale

2\. Overtale

The woods were dark – almost as dark as they were Underground. It was night (Frisk was still getting used to the concept of the sky changing color based on the time), and the stars gave off almost no light. She shivered, wrapping her vines tighter around herself. It was so, so cold. The woods were dark and empty, and for the first time since being aboveground, the little monster was beginning to feel that same, constant anxiety creep back through her.

"monster..."

Frisk gasped, spinning around. There was no one there. She couldn't sense any souls. A twig snapped in front of her, but… nothing.

She turned and ran, stumbling over her own vines, unable to see more than ten feet ahead of her. The road veered suddenly, turning into a bridge. Bars covered the way, the gaps far too narrow for her to get through. A single torch sputtered above it, casting a dim circle of light in front of the gate. Locked.

She could sense another soul behind her now, but it flickered and wavered - it was almost as if there was a bad connection, as if the person kept appearing and vanishing. She had never felt a monster do that, let alone a human.

"don't you know how to greet a new pal?" The voice was cold. Sinister. She hadn't met any people outside the Ruins, but she had spent far too long in the monster world to trust strangers.

"turn around and shake my hand."

There was nowhere to go.

Nothing else to do.

She turned slowly, stretching out a vine. A dark figure stood behind her, and she saw its teeth flash in the darkness.

A hand grabbed her vine, and...

Wait, what was that noise?

"heh. the old whoopie cushion in the hand trick. it's ALWAYS funny." The person stepped into the circle of light, pushing back their hood. It was a human - unlike any she had seen. His skin was a rich black color, even darker than Toriel's, almost the color of the woods. His eyes were glowing, though - a bright, piercing blue. He was wearing some kind of jacket or cloak, but it was hard to say.

"you're a monster, right? that's hilarious. i'm sans - sans the human."

He was grinning, but still watching her carefully. It was hard to say how friendly his smile really was. She pulled her hand away.

"say, i've got a brother. real great guy. he's always wanted to meet a monster. so i really think it'd make his day if you came with me. whadaya say?"

Frisk took a step back. "I- I don't think-"

"oh, so you can talk! don't worry, he's not dangerous, even if he tries to be." He flicked his hand, and the gate behind her flew open.

It didn't seem like she had much of a choice. Sans wasn't pushing her, exactly, but he wasn't about to let go of her arm.

"have to say, not many monsters have ever made it up to the surface. what are you doing here, kid? what do you want with us?"

"It was… it was an accident."

"sure sure sure. right. you just tripped over your own shoelace and oops! you've accidentally crossed the barrier." Frisk shivered, in spite of herself.

"How much do you know of the Underground?" she whispered. Sans rolled his eyes.

"i mean, we've all heard the stories - how monsters are big and evil and powerful. the legends have been twisted around for two thousand years now, so i'm sure they're mostly bs, but-"

"They're not. Monsters are… well, they were trapped Underground for a reason."

Sans said nothing, and Frisk wrapped her vines around herself. How much farther could the human possibly be taking her?

"sounds like a place you'd wanna leave," he finally said, turning a corner.

"It is." She pushed her petals away from her face, squinting at the scene in front of her. It was a little clearing - a sentry stand next to the path, a weird-shaped chair sitting out by itself. Frisk stepped towards it, wondering if she could step behind it before Sans noticed she was gone.

"where ya goin'? no need to get impatient, he'll be here any second." His grin never wavered, even when he was talking. It was kinda creepy. Was he... enjoying this?

"BROTHER!"

"speak of the devil."

"THERE YOU ARE, I'VE BEEN LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR YOU!" Another human rushed up from the other direction. Frisk froze.

He was a foot taller than Sans and his skin was several shades lighter, but he was clearly his brother. They had the same demeanor - the same devil-may-care smile, the same imposing bearing. Biggest difference? Papyrus was three or four times louder and more intense. Frisk instinctively cringed away.

"sup, bro?"

"YOU KNOW WHAT'S 'SUP' BROTHER? IT'S BEEN EIGHT DAYS AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T-"

He suddenly did a double take.

"SANS? IS THAT... A MONSTER?"

"nah. i think that's a chair."

"OH." Sans leaned against Frisk, raising his eyebrows.

"SANS! IS - IS THAT- OH MY GOD!" He bounded forward, crossing the clearing in three steps and eagerly shaking one of her vines.

"MONSTER, IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU! WELCOME TO SNOWDIN, THE COLDEST REGION OF THE HUMAN KINGDOM!" He put a hand to his chest. "I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS, ROYAL GUARD-"

"aren't you still in training?"

" - HUSH, SANS - AND PROTECTOR OF THE AREA. AS SUCH, IT IS MY DUTY TO... WAIT A MOMENT." He knelt down to get on eye level with her.

"YOU'RE A FLOWER MONSTER! IT'S FAR TOO COLD FOR YOU TO BE HERE, YOU COULD DIE! OR WILT! OR GET THE SNIFFLES!"

He scooped her up in his arms. "SANS, WE NEED TO GET TO HOTLAND. FIND A SHORTCUT." He patted her petals.

"on it."

"DON'T WORRY, MONSTER! I, PAPYRUS, HAVE CAPTURED YOU! I'LL MAKE SURE YOU STAY UNFROZEN, LIKE ANY HEALTHY FLOWER SHOULD. AS YOUR CAPTOR, I WILL PROTECT YOU AND KEEP YOU SAFE."

Frisk wasn't quite sure what he meant, about that 'captured' part, but at the moment she didn't particularly care. Papyrus… well, he seemed good-natured. She could trust him, for now.

As for Sans? There was something about him. He was an anomaly. No human she had met or heard of could flicker and transport like that.

As long as she was up here, she would have to keep an eye on him.

* * *

 **A/N:** **The creator of Overtale is HezuNeutral on Devianart. I mucked it all up, but you should go check it out! The original is really cool.**


	4. Underswap

3\. Underswap

"HIYA!"

"Oh, Sans. What are you doing here?"

"WORKING! HAVEN'T YOU SEEN A GUY WITH TWO JOBS BEFORE? TWICE AS MANY JOBS MEANS TWICE AS MANY PROMOTIONS, SO I'LL BE A ROYAL GUARD IN NO TIME!" He bounced up and down behind the sentry station, and Chara smiled.

"Of course you will. You always get what you want, don't you?"

"Y'KNOW, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE DAYS SINCE I TOOK A BREAK. Y'WANNA HEAD DOWN TO SNOWDIN AND GRAB A BITE TO EAT WITH ME? IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR STRENGTH UP!"

"Fine. I think I went everywhere in Snowdin, but I can't be positive."

"WELL, YOU'RE IN FOR SOME OF THE BEST FOOD EVER! COME ON, I KNOW A SHORTCUT."

He climbed out from behind the booth, and ran in the opposite direction of town. Chara hesitated, then ran after him.

The world went black for a second, almost as if they had passed out. They blinked, and suddenly...

"FAST SHORTCUT, HUH?"

Chara squinted, trying to adjust their eyes to the light. It looked like a fairly nice restaurant - wooden walls, cozy booths. But it was empty. No patrons were sitting around, eating or talking or playing cards. There was only a barkeeper, scrubbing a table in the eerie silence.

"Son!"

The barkeeper, a gangly creature in a dapper vest and bowtie, rushed towards them, crossing the restaurant in three steps and scooping up Sans in a bone-crushing hug.

"HI, DAD!" Sans squeezed the figure back.

"Dad?" muttered Chara.

Sans pulled back and motioned at Chara.

"YEP! HUMAN, MEET MY DAD, W.D. GASTER. DAD, THIS IS THE HUMAN."

"Hiya! It's really great to meet you! Pappy mentioned you when he came in earlier, and we've all heard the stories." He grinned. He was definitely a skeleton, if a little... different. His eyes glowed like Sans, but brighter - almost like flashlights. One orange, one blue. There was a wide, perfect circle cut out of each of his palms, and two odd scars arched from his eyes up and down his skull. He stared at the human with an odd look in his eyes.

"I'm glad you're safe. I haven't seen many people today, which is funny! Usually they're all over, coming in, going out, all that jazz!" He shrugged, laughing. "Maybe today they're all actually doing their jobs!"

MAYBE! FOR BEING SUCH GOOD FOOD, NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS PLACE. IT'S PRETTY UNDERGROUND." He winked. "LET'S EAT! WHATDAYA WANT?"

"Hamburger or fries? On the house, of course." Gaster ran back and jumped behind the bar.

"I don't want anything."

"C'MON!"

They rolled their eyes. "Hamburger."

"GREAT CHOICE! DAD, A DOUBLE ORDER OF THE BURG, PLEASE!"

"Comin' right up!" Gaster stepped back into the kitchen.

Sans leaned over the bar and grabbed a bottle of mustard from the condiments rack.

"HEY, WHILE WE'RE WAITING, I WAS JUST WONDERIN'. YOU'RE HEADED TO HOTLAND, RIGHT? TO THE CAPITAL?"

Chara shifted in their seat. "Uh… yeah?"

"YOU EVER HEARD OF DR. GRILLBY?" He stared at them with bright, curious eyes, his head tilted slightly to the right.

"Who now?"

"IT'S SORT OF A LEGEND. YEARS AND YEARS AGO, DR. GRILLBY,THE ROYAL SCIENTIST, FELL INTO THE CORE AND DIED. HE WAS A FIRE ELEMENTAL, AND HIS SPIRIT WAS SCATTERED THROUGH HOTLAND. HE'S A GUARDIAN, A PROTECTOR! THAT'S WHY IT'S SO HOT!"

Chara raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it hot because it's the middle of a volcano?"

"YEAH, WELL..." He shrugged. "HE WAS A REAL PERSON. DAD KNEW HIM WHEN HE WAS ALIVE. DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF THE REST OF THE STORY'S TRUE."

Gaster kicked the kitchen door open, and tossed two loaded plates down on the bar.

"Ta-da!" he sang. "Bone appetite!"

"REAL FUNNY, DAD," sighed Sans, dumping the bottle of mustard on his burger. Chara ignored the food, staring at the skeletons.

"Have you heard from Papyrus recently? I mean, he was in here this morning, but I haven't seen him since. He's not answering his phone."

"NAH, I HAVEN'T. HE'S PROBABLY OFF SLEEPING SOMEWHERE." Sans' eyes narrowed, and he crammed the burger into his mouth. "OKIE-DOKE! I BETTER HEAD BACK TO WORK. SEE YA, DAD!"

"Goodbye." Gaster watched as the two left the empty restaurant, an odd expression crossing his face. "Stay safe..."

Then, they were back at the entrance of Waterfall. Sans climbed behind his booth and held out a hand.

"WELL, THAT WAS FUN! WE OUGHTA-"

Then, they were grabbing their knife. They were diving across the booth, swinging wildly. They were staring down at Sans, who was clutching his chest.

Yellow goop was oozing out a hole in his armor, as if he had hidden a bottle of mustard in his ribcage. He stared up at them, an odd look in his eyes.

"IT WAS YOU, WASN'T IT? YOU'RE THE REASON WHY EVERYONE'S GONE. YOU... YOU KILLED..." He sat down, watching as the stains spread over his scarf. "THAT MEANS PAP... PAP..."

A sudden bone flew out of the air, smashing into the side of Chara's skull. They blinked, but it only took 4 off of their substantial HP.

"Your brother is dead," they said. Sans' eyes flickered shut.

"NO... NOT..." He glared up at them. "KIDS LIKE YOU... KIDS LIKE YOU SHOULD BE..."

Chara turned away, wiping the dust off their face. That was easier than they had expected. His older brother had definitely suspected something, and had put up a fight. Who knew that the brat only had 1 HP?

They stuck their knife back in their belt and began pushing through the reeds.

Then, they were out of the marsh. It was a long hallway, made of the same, bluish stone. There was something oddly familiar about it, even though they were sure they had never been there before. They pulled their knife back out.

"So."

They spun around, gripping their weapon as a cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows. Its hood was pulled low, but they could still see its eyes glowing. One blue, one gold. Like flashlights.

"Gaster," snapped Chara. The skeleton pushed its hood back. He was grinning, but it was empty of emotion. His smile was dead, just like theirs.

"So you think it's funny to hurt those around you?"

Two spirits appeared behind him. Skeletons. One blue, one gold. Then something different - flickering, uncertain. The room became much warmer.

"Then you're going to find this hilarious."

* * *

 **A/N: Golly. This was my first time writing a genocide run. I know, traditionally Gaster and the Riverperson are swapped, but I'm kinda in love with the idea of Gaster being a goofy, gentle barkeeper and Grillby being a salty Hotland spirit. Got an idea? Leave a review or a PM, and I might make it into a story! Anyways, I do not get credit for this, Underswap belongs to Popcorn Pr1nce, and Undertale belongs to my boy Toby.**


	5. Ruintale

5\. Ruintale

Knock, knock.

...

Knock knock.

Nothing.

"not feelin' it today? that's ok."

Sans sat down in the snow. "'course, the ruins are pretty huge, from what i've heard. maybe you just can't hear me."

He leaned against the door, tapping the ground. "gotta new job, by the way. it's just around the corner, across the bridge. my bro got it for me, said that i needed to stop mopin' around or something."

The woods were silent, peaceful. He had no idea what was behind the door, or why the voice refused to come out and tell him anything about herself. He told her stories every now and then, about 'the life outside'. Snowdin, his little brother, snippets of politics he picked up from Grillby's restaurant. She seemed starved for information, flippant or gossipy as it was, but never gave him any in return.

Not that he cared. She could keep to themselves if they wanted to. She told great jokes, and that's the only thing that mattered.

" well, i guess i can come back tomorrow."

"I'm here," said a quiet voice. Sans glanced at the door. The lady sounded different. Almost... happy? Weird.

"everything ok?"

"Who's that?"

That wasn't her voice. He turned around, faced the door. It sounded like a kid - high, soft, scared.

"Do not be afraid, my child. My friend is on the other side of the door."

"my child? didn't know you had a family."

"I do now. I found this small one this morning, and am taking them home. Say hello."

"H-hi."

"hey, kid. good to meet ya."

"Run along now, go back upstairs."

"Yes, Mama."

Sans grinned at the sound of bare feet hitting the stone and scampering off.

"so you just happened to find 'em, huh?"

"Yes." She sounded strangely uncomfortable. He raised his eyebrows.

"well, that was real sweet of you, takin' 'em in and all that." He chuckled. "bet you'll be a great parent."

"Perhaps you're right." Her voice sounded heavier than before. "I... I certainly hope so."

"you gonna keep 'em in there with you? in the ruins?"

"Yes. They will be safer in here, with me."

Sans glanced back, frowning. The Underground was plenty safe, for all sorts of monsters. Maybe the kid was hurt, or a lot more fragile than she was letting on.

"you worried about humans? lady, don't you worry. My bro and I've got this area under top notch surveillance. Ain't no way any of that dirt's gettin' past us."

He winked, then remembered she couldn't see him.

"G-good." Her voice sounded heavy again. "Is... could you promise me one thing?"

"within reason. whatdaya want?"

"If... the child does come out... take care of them for me, will you? at the very least, do not hurt them."

"what? course not. what do you think, i'm some sort of monster?"

She laughed at that one - finally. He was starting to get worried.

"well, i've probably been here to long anyway, and i'll bet you wanna get back to your kid. my bro will be-"

"BROTHER, WHERE'D YOU GO?"

"ah, speak of the devil. knock to ya later, lady."

"Farewell. And... thank you."

He shrugged, then vanished.

knock, knock.

...

"Who's there?"

That wasn't the old lady.

It had been months since he had last visited. Every time he thought about going back to the Ruins, he had put it off. The lady had a kid. She was busy enough already. She didn't need him hanging off her doorknob, pestering her. Now that he was finally back…

"dishes."

"Dishes? Dishes who?" It was the kid! Their voice was a little louder, a little more confident. They had sounded on the verge of tears last time.

"dishes a very bad joke."

 _ba dum tis!_

A solid ten seconds of silence. Sans took a step backwards.

A high peal of laughter, like a little bell, rang out. "That's funny! Are you Mama's friend?"

"guess so. what's your name, kid?"

"Frisk."

"nice. i'm sans, sans the skeleton."

"You're a skeleton?" Their voice had a tinge of fear, now. Weird.

"yep. one of the last." He and his brother were the only skeletons left in the underground, unless you counted... well, never mind.

"That's really cool," they said shyly.

"oh, i know." He ran his fingers through the snow. "so, where'd you come from?"

Another pause. A muffled sound, as if they took a step away from the door.

"I... I don't wanna talk about it."

Running footsteps. And they were gone again.

Sans stared at the blank door for a second, then turned and walked the way he had come.

Knock, knock.

"Who's there?"

"doris."

"Doris who?"

"doris locked, that's why i'm knocking."

"Haha! Knock knock."

"who's there?"

"Datmay."

"datmay who?"

"Datmay have been a bad joke, but I still laughed!"

"heh. learn that one from your mom?"

"Yep! She's super good at them! I can go get her, if you want to talk to her."

"nah, it's fine. how's life in the ruins!"

"It's so cool! I've made a bunch of friends, and it's so much better than - than before. You should come in and visit!"

"heh, don't think you've mom wants people from the outside dirtyin' up her floors. maybe someday."

"Ok."

There was a long silence, and Sans wondered if they had wandered off.

Knock, knock.

"who's there?"

"Boo."

"boo who?"

"Why are you crying? It's just a joke!"

"heh, a classic. knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"cargo."

"Cargo who?"

"no, cargo beep beep."

"Car's don't beep, they honk! It's really loud."

"how d'you know? your mom read you a story about 'em or something?"

"No... I just know." Frisk shuffled quietly. Sans chuckled.

"i'll take your word for it, i guess. i'll have to tell my bro."

"You have a brother?" They suddenly sounded faint.

"heh, yeah. he loves cars - i think the only reason he wants to get up to the surface is to see one for real."

"Cool," they whispered. A pause. "I- I had a brother. Before."

"before what?"

"Before I met Mama."

"not sure if that's how that works."

"No, I – never mind. I don't wanna talk about it."

"- then Blooky shot grey bullets at Froggit! They were harmless, of course, Blooky would never hurt anyone on purpose, but Froggit was flattered anyway. Blooky told me his cousin showed him how to do it, and that his cousin is really famous outside. He said that if I ever come outside, I'll have to go to their houses and meet him."

"real cool." Sans smiled. It had been years since he had met Frisk - he had lost count. Four, five? The old lady probably knew, but he hadn't been talking to her as much. They sat in silence for a minute.

"I want to go outside. I want to meet you, and your brother, and Blooky's cousin. I want to - to go back. I want to go home." Sans frowned.

Home?

"well, shouldn't be too much of a problem, should it?"

"I don't think so, but... well, whenever I start talking to Mom about it, she gets all quiet and sad. She doesn't want me to get hurt, I think."

"well, I'll talk to her 'bout it, if you want. i think she'll be pretty chill with the idea if-"

"Talk to me about what?"

Sans' eyes flickered for a second, but he didn't have any time to say anything.

"I want to go outside, Mom."

The old woman forced a laugh.

"We have already talked about this, my child. Now please, go upstairs."

"No."

"Frisk..."

"No." Sans felt the door rattle, as if Frisk had grabbed the knob and started pulling on it.

"You naive child. If you go out there, they... ASGORE... will kill you."

Sans leaned away from the door. That didn't make any sense. Asgore only wanted to kill humans. Maybe the lady was a little cracked after all.

Unless…

"It does not have to be this way. Please... you've been here all this time..."

"I can't keep doing this. I need to go home."

"This is your home!"

"I need to go back."

There was no sound except the wind whistling through the trees.

"I'm sorry, Mom."

A small laugh.

"I suppose you're right. I cannot hide you in here any longer. You have already proven to me how strong you are. Sans? I suppose you're out there?"

"ah... yes ma'am?"

"Forgive me for being so secretive. Frisk, you too. Forgive me, please. I have been selfish."

A muffled sound, as if Frisk had leaped into her arms. "Of course, Mom. I'll come back some day, I promise."

"Ha, ha. I believe in you, my child. Now go. Stay determined. And never look back."

The door creaked open, and Sans took a step back. There was the old lady - a white goat-type -the same species as the king. A boss monster.

And there was a child, standing in front of her. Small, maybe seven or eight years old. Dark hair, pale skin. Wait, was that a -

"human?" he muttered. "huh. i shoulda known."

Frisk tilted their head to one side, staring up at him with wide, excited eyes.

"Sans?"

The kid he had been talking to for years now was a human. Their kind had banished the monsters Underground and all but eradicated his species. It was his job, it was his _duty_ as a monster to turn them in to Asgore. They had the ability to kill everyone, to set them all free, to reset...

He stuck out his hand, and they took it. A fart sound exploded through the air, and he laughed as they jumped back.

"heh, the old whoopie-cushion in the hand trick. it's ALWAYS-"

"Sans!"

"sorry, ma'am."

Frisk laughed, brushing snow off their purple robe. "Are you - I mean, can I-"

"yeah, don't worry. i'll show you around. you wanna meet papyrus, don't you? my brother, he's a human-hunting FANATIC." Frisk paled, and he winked. "don't worry, he's not dangerous (even if he tries to be). you'll love him."

"I know I will." They stuck their chin out and smiled. "Let's go."

* * *

 **A/N: Guys. I did not make this one up. I swear. But I've only seen, like, one comic of it, quite a while ago. Upon an attempt to cite my work like a good colleg student, I couldn't find it. I think it was instantpuppypaper on Devianart? I'm like… 87% positive. Anyways, I don't get the credit, but thanks. I got three requests last chapter, and I'm going to be posting those next! If anyone has a request (or a second request), hit me up!**


	6. Muffintale

6\. Muffintale

"I don't hate spiders!"

"Liar! You're a liar and a murderer, sweetie! I'll bet you're a thief, too!"

Frisk squirmed, trying to bat away a wad of purple webbing. Their arm got even more stuck than before.

"I don't! I - I just need o get through, I need t get to Asgore!"

"Oh, so you don't CARE about spiders?" Muffet threw half a dozen little bombs in quick succession, then waved her hand as another wave of spiders ran towards them. "You're just like all the others!"

Frisk dodged, rolling from side to side as the spiders ran at them. They almost didn't register what she had said.

"Like - who?"

Muffet three sets of arms. "What, you think everyone loves the spiders? That we get acknowledged for having the best baked goods in the entire world, let alone the Underground? No! All they do is complain - that they were forced to buy them, that the prices are too high, that it's weird the main ingredient is spiders. Do you know how difficult it is to make a glaze like this?"

"Yeah, actually."

Muffet frowned, and the spiders stopped running at Frisk.

"What do you mean, dearie? You- you're lying again, aren't you?"

"No! My brother and I used to bake a lot before - well, a long time ago. It's really difficult to get the bake on it perfect. It's really hard to nail, getting the outside firm while keeping the interior softness, especially if you're working with a glaze. Did you use cold butter and cut it up, or go room temperature?"

"Mostly just muffin magic." Muffet leaned closer to the human, swirling her teapot.

"Oh." Frisk wiggled one of their arms out of the webbing and sat up. "I did buy a donut earlier, I promise. In the Ruins. I only had enough money for one, but I ate it right away and it was delicious. I still don't have very much money."

They pulled out their bag and held up 200G. Muffet wrinkled her nose, staring down at them.

There was a tense silence.

Finally, Muffet sighed and snapped her fingers. Most of the spiders scuttled away, but on ran up holding a pencil and sheet of paper.

"Send a telegram to our sisters," she said. "Ask them about a human in a striped sweater, see if this little one is lying or not."

She sat down, and Frisk's soul faded back into their chest. They pulled their other arm free.

"Want some tea?" She poured a cup and pushed it towards him. "It might take a moment for them to go and return."

It was a test - that much was obvious. Frisk took the cup, and swirled it for a moment. It had a spicy, faintly fruit-like scent. The dregs were visible at the bottom of the cup.

They took a sip, then nodded. "It's good! It's important when you're brewing oolong not to get the water too hot . If you put the leaves in while it's boiling, it's no good."

Muffet's five eyes lit up. "Exactly. And while sugar may enhance the flavors of some teas-"

"-it only mutes the natural, bittersweet tones and aromas."

Muffet clapped. "Wowie! Y'know, it's been so long since I've talked to someone who actually knew what they were talking about." She thoughtfully pulled a fat, purple cigar out of her apron and lit it.

"You know what it's like to be misunderstood, don't you sweetie? What'd you say your name was?"

Frisk pulled their legs free, then sat down beside her.

"Frisk."

"Fuhuhu~! What a name, for a little thief. I don't want to hurt people, Frisky. I want to bake goodies and brew tea and take care of my family." She motioned at the dozens - no, hundreds - of spiders scuttling behind them, around the cave. "But I can't. I don't have any money. No one likes me, no one trusts me. Everyone forgets about greedy old Muffet." She took a long drag from her stogie, then blew a ring of bakery-scented smoke.

Frisk put their hand on one of her arms.

"I want to help. I want to break the Barrier and set you all free."

Muffet glanced down at them.

"And how are you planning on doing that, Frisky?"

"I- I don't know. I need to get to the capital, and find Asgore. He'll - he'll help me. I hope. Even if he doesn't, I'll find a way."

"You're a determined little critter. I can get you to the Capital."

"But the telegram-"

"Don't worry about it, cupcake." She pinched their cheek, then clapped her hands.

Fifty spiders appeared out of the darkness, pushing a massive, monster-sized canon out of the darkness. Frisk cringed away from it.

"Wh-what..."

"It'll shoot you over Hotland, straight to the Palace. Don't worry, it's foolproof!"

Frisk glanced it over. The thing seemed to be well-built, made of a shiny purple metal with a ladder up to the mouth. Physics didn't seem to work quite right in the Underground.

It was worth a shot. If worse came to worse, they'd end up back at their last save point.

"Ok." They climbed in the mouth, and Muffet pressed her cigar against the fuse.

"Good luck~! Remember your promise!"

Then, they were shooting through the air, across Hotland, towards the ominous black building in the distance.

They were filled with determination.

* * *

So, now the Barrier was broken. After all the pain, all the heartbreaks, all the death. And Frisk was there for it, along with all their friends. It was done. It was over.

Well, not over. The Barrier was broken, not gone. There was a long, jagged gash a hundred feet up, too high for anything quick and easy. Somehow, wind was whistling through the crack in time and space, and Frisk could smell the Surface. It was so, so close.

Yet no one had been able to figure anything out yet.

"WE CAN'T JUST LEVITATE THEM ALL. THAT'S JUST FOR BATTLE, AND I'M NOT GOING TO BATTLE KING ASGORE!"

"it's not like we're going to try an' kill them. after all, everyone knows i could beat them easily."

Frisk squirmed uncomfortably.

"STOP CHANGING THE SUBJECT!"

"We-we can figure it out," mumbled Alphys. "I- I can just head back to- to the lab and figure out a way to get us across. R-right? Possibly, I don't know..."

"But we're so close!" snarled Undyne. She pointed across the Barrier. "It's broken, there's just a stupid little abyss between us and total freedom!"

Frisk frowned, scuffing the dirt with one foot. This reminded them of something, but they couldn't quite remember.

"Why didn't you invite me to the party~?"

That was it. They jumped up, looking around. Muffet was standing near the entrance to the gardens. Frisk grinned.

"Fuhuhu! What's up, dearies?"

Muffet's two biggest eyes widened as they took in the scene. The cluster of monsters, the ripped stone and dead vines where Photoshop Flowey appeared, the gaping, open hole in space and time that had been the Barrier.

"quite the party, ain't it?" said Sans.

Frisk pushed past him and ran towards her. "We need your help! We can't get through."

"The cannon!" Muffet grinned, somehow pulling the massive gun out of her pocket. It was the same one that she had shot them out of the last time - an intricately crafted thing made of purple metal, with a rope ladder up to the mouth.

"W-well…" began Toriel.

Frisk looked around, and noticed the other monsters glancing at each other nervously. Muffet was... distrusted, to say the least. She had a reputation (half gossip, half true) of being a liar and a cannibal with outrageous prices and a nasty attitude.

"It's alright. She's good," Frisk insisted.

Muffet pinched their cheek. "What a smart idea, sweetie! I could just gobble you up!"

"You already tried," they muttered.

Muffet stuck a purple cigar in their mouth, earning a stern look from Toriel.

"Fuhuhu! So who's first~?"

"ME! PICK ME!" Papyrus jumped up and down. "I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL VENTURE FIRST TO THE SURFACE, TO MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE FOR EVERYONE ELSE."

"Like a real Royal Guard!" Undyne grinned and put him in a headlock.

"PLEASE DON'T NOOGIE THE SKELETON."

"Step right up, jump inside!" Muffet pushed her hair out of the way, and pressed her cigar against the fuse of the cannon. For once in his life, Sans looked uncomfortable.

"hey, doncha think we should-"

The fuse lit. The cannon exploded.

"NNNYEEEEEHHHHHHHHH!"

Then, Papyrus was gone, shooting through the air for only a few seconds before he hit the Barrier. There was a blinding flash, and he vanished in the starry, twilight sky with a twinkle. Sans' eyes disappeared.

"wait, where'd he-"

"Success!" sang Muffet. "I'll say he's halfway across the human world by this point."

"And you are sure it worked?" asked Asgore.

"Oh, please. Of course it did, sweetie. If it didn't, he would've died! His dust would have bounced off the Barrier and hit us all in the face!"

Sans was scowling, now. Frisk didn't know he was capable of making that expression.

"i'll go next, i guess."

Sans disappeared, then reappeared with his head sticking out of the cannon's mouth. His expression was somewhat back to normal, but he already looked a little queasy.

"looks like team rocket is blastin' off again."

The cannon fired. And he was gone.

One by one. Monster after monster after monster. All of Frisk's friends. Muffet's spiders rounded up everyone else. The sentries, the Royal Guards, the Amalgamates, Grillby and his patrons. Every single Froggit and Whinsum and Moldsmal out of the Ruins and Hotland and everywhere else. Muffet never moved - loading them, lighting them, shooting them off. Every now and then, she pulled a new stogie out of her seemingly endless supply. Frisk sat and watched the entire time, sometimes telling her stories about what had happened after they met, just to pass the time. At some point, they fell asleep.

"Frisky? You still there?"

They groaned, squinting up at the figure standing over them. Muffet laughed, helping them up with three arms.

"Oh good. For a second there I thought you'd died of boredom, and I'd have to make you into muffins!"

Frisk shook their head, rubbing their eyes.

"Wh- how's it going?"

"We're done. I just shot the last spider up. Just you and me, now. Ready?"

Frisk frowned. "But… who's going to light your cannon? How're you getting out?"

"That's what I need you for." She twirled. "C'mon! Up we go." She slid Frisk into the mouth of the cannon, then climbed in herself.

The inside was much roomier than Frisk had expected; Sans must have been standing on his tiptoes in order to see out. The human child and slender spider-woman fit in easily.

Muffet stuck her arm out of the cannon mouth, and the fuse floated into her hand, suspended by strands of purple magic.

"Piece of cake. Hold on!"

Frisk only caught a glimpse of the spark, of the fire leaping onto the fuse and roaring down it.

Then, they were gone.

They never heard the explosion, never felt themselves flying towards the Barrier at a terminal speed.

But Muffet and Frisk were suddenly standing in a blank, white void.

Frisk shivered, looking around. It was completely, infinitely silent. The Barrier.

Figures were flickering in their peripheral vision. For a second, thought they saw Asriel, standing right behind them. Then a skeleton wearing a black robe, then a human child who looked oddly disappointed.

"The Void," whimpered Muffet. Frisk looked back. She was kneeling, shaking. Two hands were pressed over her ears, four were pressed over her eyes. "This was a mistake. This was a-"

Frisk knelt next to her, taking one of her hands.

"It's ok. We're going to get out of here."

"We can't. We can't. We-"

"Look." The human pointed directly in front of them. Muffet opened one of her eyes.

There was a crack – a rift in the Void, so wide and bright it was almost impossible to miss.

Sunlight was streaming through.

"Come on," insisted Frisk. "We can do it. It's just a few steps."

"It didn't work. My cannon didn't work. Why-"

"It did! It got us in here. And it got everyone else through, I guess the two of us were too much for it. Come on."

They half-led, half-pulled the spider to the break. They could smell the breeze coming through – it was late autumn.

"We just need to jump."

Muffet sniffed, pushing her hair out of her face.

"R-right."

And they jumped.

Well, fell might be the better word. Frisk fell the ground disappear from beneath their feet, felt the wind roaring in their ears, felt their stomach in their mouth.

It was so far.

Too far.

They couldn't see Muffet anymore.

Then, their ankles twisted under the sudden dirt, and their face was buried in a pile of leaves. The sun beat down on the back of their neck.

Frisk sighed in relief, scooping up the half-rotten leaves in a hug. Someone laughed behind them, and they twisted around.

They seemed to have landed in a big, open park of some sort. Trees were scattered across the grassy plot, and there was a path flanked with streetlamps not too far away. All of their friends were standing in a cluster, watching the sunset. Toriel, Asgore, and Sans seemed to be involved in a three-way pun battle, and Undyne was chasing Papyrus around with Alphys on her shoulder. Muffet was standing a little ways away, just getting to her feet herself.

Mettaton scooped Frisk up and twirled them around.

"Good job, darling! You really did it!"

"It was Muffet, with her cannon."

Mettaton winked. "Of course. Well, gtg! I'm off on my way to stardom! Coming, Burgerpants?"

A small, desperate-looking cat slunk after him, shooting Frisk a long, pitiful look.

"Been outside for 10 minutes and I've already thrown away the rest of my life."

Frisk shot him a thumb's up.

Muffet stepped up next to them.

"Th-thank you, dearie. You really saved me back there."

Frisk shrugged. "You just needed a little push."

Muffet smiled, satisfied.

"So. This is the Surface. Pretty big, isn't it?" She touched the trunk of a nearby tree, and a spider crawled down into her palm. "We'll need a big base, for our operation. A castle, or maybe a manor. Out in the woods, with the wild spiders. Do you think the humans will like our muffins?"

"I know this human did."

"Fuhuhuhuhu! Where are you going, Frisky? Back home?"

Frisk's smile faded.

"Ah… I don't know, right now. I guess it depends on what happens, with the monsters rejoining humanity. Now that Asgore's figured everything out, I don't think there will be any more bloodshed."

Muffet tossed one of her little unlit bombs from hand to hand. "Y'know… I could use someone like you. Someone with hands, who has a real appreciation for how baking and brewing is supposed to be done. Just an offer."

Frisk grinned. "Are you offering me a job?"

"Don't be ridiculous, sweetie. I'm offering you a home."

"My child!" Toriel ran up, taking their hand. "I did not see you there. Are you ready to go? I can take you back to your home! Where did you live?" Muffet stepped back, trying to hide her disappointment.

Frisk shook their head. "I… ah, no thanks. I don't… I don't really have-"

Toriel's face twisted in confusion. "You – you don't have- oh dear! Would you like to stay with me?"

"Actually?" Frisk glanced back at Muffet, who was twisting one of her pigtails. "I think I've already got something worked out."

Frisk wouldn't have traded the spider's grin for all the muffins in the world.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello, lovelies! Today is our first of three queued submissions. Muffintale is an original AU, by our very own Barbacar on ! They've written some stories themself, so check them out!**


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